Descriptive epidemiology of prostate cancer in metropolitan Detroit

The incidence of prostate cancer among US men increased more than five times over the past six decades. Black men in the United States now have the world's highest reported incidence of prostate cancer. The authors examined the distribution of prostate cancer in metropolitan Detroit from 1973 to 1989.

Cases collected by the Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System were used to calculate standardized age-adjusted rates of prostate cancer by race and stage and standardized age-specific rates for the age groups 60-69, 70-79 and 80 years and older. Over 24,000 cases involving black and white men were analyzed.

During 1973 to 1989, age-adjusted rates of prostate cancer diagnosed among white men doubled from 54.3 to 109.9 per 100,000 and those among black men increased by nearly 40% from 106.9 to 148.6 per 100,000. Average annual increases in age-adjusted rates for white and black men were 4.4 and 2.3%, respectively.

Age-adjusted rates of prostate cancer diagnosed among white men increased more rapidly than rates among black men during 1973 to 1989. The more rapid increase in cases diagnosed in white men may represent differences in access and exposure to early detection and treatment practices. Improved efforts toward earlier detection are needed, especially among black men.